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Ireland's Shane Lowry holds and kisses the Claret Jug trophy on the 18th green as he poses for the crowd and media after winning the British Open Golf Championships at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, Sunday, July 21, 2019.

SOURCE: Peter AP Photo/Peter Morrison

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British Open canceled until next year as golf schedule reworked due to coronavirus

The British Open will not be played this year for the first time since 1945, with the R&A choosing to play golf's oldest championship next year at Royal St. George's and move the 150th Open at St. Andrews to 2022.It was a major piece of golf trying to reconfigure a schedule brought on by the spread of the coronavirus.Golf organizations were expected to announce later Monday the PGA Championship moving to August, the U.S. Open going to September and the Masters to be played in November, two weeks before Thanksgiving.All that depends on guidance from government and health authorities.R&A chief Martin Slumbers said the decision to cancel the British Open was based on guidance from the U.K. government, health authorities and public services.He said all tickets and other hospitality packages will be shifted to 2021 or fully refunded.

The British Open will not be played this year for the first time since 1945, with the R&A choosing to play golf's oldest championship next year at Royal St. George's and move the 150th Open at St. Andrews to 2022.

It was a major piece of golf trying to reconfigure a schedule brought on by the spread of the coronavirus.

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Golf organizations were expected to announce later Monday the PGA Championship moving to August, the U.S. Open going to September and the Masters to be played in November, two weeks before Thanksgiving.

All that depends on guidance from government and health authorities.

R&A chief Martin Slumbers said the decision to cancel the British Open was based on guidance from the U.K. government, health authorities and public services.